Dragons academy and Ebbw Vale back row man James Thomas will lead Wales into the Six Nations Under 20 championship against Scotland next week.
Capped at Under 18 level last year, Thomas is one of seven players from the Dragons Region included in the side, with a further two on the bench. Wales’ championship opener will be played at MacDiarmid Park, Perth on Friday, 6 February.
Thomas will have fellow Dragons Academy players Dan Watchurst and Ashley Sweet joining him in a Welsh pack that also features Pontypool’s Sam Pailor in the second row. Behind the scrum Dragons full back Jason Tovey plays for a second season in the Under 20 set-up.
Two more Dragons Academy players, Dai Langdon and Adam Hughes, will figure in the Welsh back division, while Craig Attwell is joined by Cross Keys’ James Leadbetter on the replacements bench.
“It’s a dream to lead your country - it’s brilliant. A lot of us were together at Under 18 level last year and we have come across the players from last year’s Under 20s in the various competitions this season, so we are a pretty tight-knit squad,” said Thomas, who plays for Ebbw Vale in the Principality Premiership.
“It is going to be a hard five months for this squad with the Six Nations and then the IRB Junior World Championships in Japan. But we are all looking to enjoy the experience and pick up as many wins as possible along the way.
“We think that at our best we can beat the best teams. We have players in our side like Ashley Beck, Jason Tovey and Kristian Phillips who are full-time pros with Welsh Regions and we’ve all seen Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar pick up full Welsh caps this season before they have got out of their teens.
“My ambition is to join Jason Tovey in the Dragons squad next season and I hope that playing in the Six Nations Under 20 tournament will take me closer to that goal.”
Wales coach Phil Davies spent a week with his squad in Leeds recently an d believes there is enough talent to be very competitive in the championship – and maybe knock England off their perch as Under 20 Grand Slam champions.
“James certainly leads by example on and off the pitch,” explained Wales Under 20 coach Phil Davies. "We are thrilled at the commitment the players have shown in our regional and national training sessions, and in their performances for their clubs and regional age grade sides.”
Wales will meet England at the Brewery Field, Bridgend in their second game on Friday, 13 February (kick-off 7.10pm). Tickets for that game are available from:
- WRU shop, Gate 3, Westgate Street (Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5pm)
- Ticketline, Westgate Street, Cardiff (Mon - Sat 9 - 5.30pm, phone bookings can be made by calling 02920 230130)
- Tickets are £5 for juniors and students, £10 and £15 for adults
Wales Under 20 team v Scotland Friday 6 February, 7.10pm, McDiarmid Park, Perth
Jason Tovey (Dragons); Kristian Phillips (Ospreys / Neath), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Ashley Beck (Ospreys / Aberavon), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Bedwas); Dai Langdon (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Rhys Downes (Blues academy / Pontypridd); Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Scott Andrews (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), Sam Pailor (Pontypool), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), James King (Ospreys academy / Aberavon), Josh Navidi (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), James Thomas (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale, Captain)
Replacements: Simon Gardener (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy / Newbridge), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Jake Thomas (Cardiff), James Leadbeater (Cross Keys), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy / Neath), James Loxton (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers)
Wales Under 20 Six Nations squad
Backs: James Loxton (Blues academy /Glamorgan Wanderers), Dai Langdon (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys / Neath), Scott Williams (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Ashley Beck (Ospreys/Aberavon), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Matthew Pewtner (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), Rhys Downes (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Gareth Davies (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), James Leadbeater (Cross Keys), Jason Tovey (Dragons), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy / Neath)
Forwards: Aaron Coundley (Dragons academy/ Ebbw Vale), Scott Andrews (Blues academy/ Glamorgan Wanderers), Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Simon Gardener (Scarlets Academy / Llanelli), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy / Newbridge), James King (Ospreys academy/ Aberavon), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy/ Cross Keys), Sam Pailor (Pontypool), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Jake Thomas (Cardiff), Josh Navidi (Blues academy Glamorgan Wanderers), Rory Pitman (Ospreys academy/Bridgend), James Thomas (Dragons academy /Ebbw Vale).
Capped at Under 18 level last year, Thomas is one of seven players from the Dragons Region included in the side, with a further two on the bench. Wales’ championship opener will be played at MacDiarmid Park, Perth on Friday, 6 February.
Thomas will have fellow Dragons Academy players Dan Watchurst and Ashley Sweet joining him in a Welsh pack that also features Pontypool’s Sam Pailor in the second row. Behind the scrum Dragons full back Jason Tovey plays for a second season in the Under 20 set-up.
Two more Dragons Academy players, Dai Langdon and Adam Hughes, will figure in the Welsh back division, while Craig Attwell is joined by Cross Keys’ James Leadbetter on the replacements bench.
“It’s a dream to lead your country - it’s brilliant. A lot of us were together at Under 18 level last year and we have come across the players from last year’s Under 20s in the various competitions this season, so we are a pretty tight-knit squad,” said Thomas, who plays for Ebbw Vale in the Principality Premiership.
“It is going to be a hard five months for this squad with the Six Nations and then the IRB Junior World Championships in Japan. But we are all looking to enjoy the experience and pick up as many wins as possible along the way.
“We think that at our best we can beat the best teams. We have players in our side like Ashley Beck, Jason Tovey and Kristian Phillips who are full-time pros with Welsh Regions and we’ve all seen Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar pick up full Welsh caps this season before they have got out of their teens.
“My ambition is to join Jason Tovey in the Dragons squad next season and I hope that playing in the Six Nations Under 20 tournament will take me closer to that goal.”
Wales coach Phil Davies spent a week with his squad in Leeds recently an d believes there is enough talent to be very competitive in the championship – and maybe knock England off their perch as Under 20 Grand Slam champions.
“James certainly leads by example on and off the pitch,” explained Wales Under 20 coach Phil Davies. "We are thrilled at the commitment the players have shown in our regional and national training sessions, and in their performances for their clubs and regional age grade sides.”
Wales will meet England at the Brewery Field, Bridgend in their second game on Friday, 13 February (kick-off 7.10pm). Tickets for that game are available from:
- WRU shop, Gate 3, Westgate Street (Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5pm)
- Ticketline, Westgate Street, Cardiff (Mon - Sat 9 - 5.30pm, phone bookings can be made by calling 02920 230130)
- Tickets are £5 for juniors and students, £10 and £15 for adults
Wales Under 20 team v Scotland Friday 6 February, 7.10pm, McDiarmid Park, Perth
Jason Tovey (Dragons); Kristian Phillips (Ospreys / Neath), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Ashley Beck (Ospreys / Aberavon), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Bedwas); Dai Langdon (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Rhys Downes (Blues academy / Pontypridd); Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Scott Andrews (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), Sam Pailor (Pontypool), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), James King (Ospreys academy / Aberavon), Josh Navidi (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers), James Thomas (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale, Captain)
Replacements: Simon Gardener (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy / Newbridge), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Jake Thomas (Cardiff), James Leadbeater (Cross Keys), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy / Neath), James Loxton (Blues academy / Glamorgan Wanderers)
Wales Under 20 Six Nations squad
Backs: James Loxton (Blues academy /Glamorgan Wanderers), Dai Langdon (Dragons academy / Ebbw Vale), Kristian Phillips (Ospreys / Neath), Scott Williams (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), Ashley Beck (Ospreys/Aberavon), Nick Reynolds (Llanelli), Adam Hughes (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Matthew Pewtner (Dragons academy / Cross Keys), Rhys Downes (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Gareth Davies (Scarlets academy / Llanelli), James Leadbeater (Cross Keys), Jason Tovey (Dragons), Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys academy / Neath)
Forwards: Aaron Coundley (Dragons academy/ Ebbw Vale), Scott Andrews (Blues academy/ Glamorgan Wanderers), Dan Watchurst (Dragons academy / Bedwas), Simon Gardener (Scarlets Academy / Llanelli), Rhys Williams (Blues academy / Pontypridd), Craig Attwell (Dragons academy / Newbridge), James King (Ospreys academy/ Aberavon), Ashley Sweet (Dragons academy/ Cross Keys), Sam Pailor (Pontypool), Dan Partridge (Beddau), Jake Thomas (Cardiff), Josh Navidi (Blues academy Glamorgan Wanderers), Rory Pitman (Ospreys academy/Bridgend), James Thomas (Dragons academy /Ebbw Vale).
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